Choosing Your Chihuahua

CHOOSING YOUR CHIHUAHUA

So you want to add a Chihuahua to the family. Let me help you prepare yourself for the reality of owning a dog by posing a few key questions.

Can you afford a dog? Having a pet is similar to having a child – they are more work than you imagine at first and they have ongoing needs that drain the bank account. After investing in a dog, there are ongoing expenses like medical bills, food, toys, grooming etc. Including the cost of spaying/neutering a dog, the price tag in the first year can be as high as $800, above and beyond the cost of the pup.

Do you have enough time for a dog? Chihuahuas are very social creatures. They are happiest in a group. To a dog, when you leave the home, it is like you will never come back. When left alone for too long a puppy will think of ways that they can amuse themselves; digging, chewing, and marking. People who are going to leave a dog alone at home for 8 or more hours a day should think twice about whether the dog will be happy in their care. Pets who can withstand being alone better may be a better choice such as cats, hamsters, lizards or fish. Chihuahuas are lap dogs, who love to cuddle and play.

Do you have small children who need to be supervised? Families with small children are cautioned about buying a small dog. Small children don’t know their own strength and can easily hurt or kill a pup or small dog like a Chihuahua. But if your child is taught to be gentle, the best size of dog is over 5 lbs. You must supervise all children under 6 years old when pup and child are playing.

Why do you want a dog? Buying a pet to reward a child, to try something new, or just for fun is not a good enough reason. A great deal of responsibility goes into caring for a pet and so the decision to buy and care for one should not be taken lightly. Many people fall in love with the idea of having a pet and then tire or get bored of the pet within months. The poor dog ends up in a shelter or another new home. The best reason to get a dog is because you want to love and care for it until it comes to the end of a long happy life, in good times and bad.

If you are sure that you want a dog, and that dog is a Chihuahua then click on the following link to read about how to choose a breeder.

A lot of misconceptions are floating around out there when it comes to picking puppies. Here are some of the false notions many have heard.

A pup that’s older than eight weeks won’t bond with you.False. I’ve gotten dogs at two and five years old and the bond was very tight. You should get a discount if the pup is older. Consider yourself lucky that the breeder didn’t charge for all the work, training and expense to raise the dog to its maturity.

Female dogs are more loving.False. I have kept males longer because I have grown too attached to their loving manner. Every one that has bought a male from me tells me how loving and loyal they are, more than even the female dogs that they have.

The last unsold pup in the litter is a reject.False. The last pup may be the one the breeder kept with thoughts of showing it and the first one to go may have been the least attractive.

Most breeders will help choose a pup for you, a pup that is best suited for your family. For instance, if a pup has more energy than the rest it is most likely placed in a home with older children. The personality has to match the family. For instance, if the person has a dog already I would want to pick out a pup that is not a high ranking pup, but instead one that is more submissive.

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Jones Chihuahuas

Theresa Gilchrist is proud to be a short coat & long coat Canadian Kennel Club Registered & American Kennel Club Registered Breeder since 1995. Sharing over 100 pages of information from her research and experience to help You make the right decision for you and your dog/s. Theresa is a Pro Breeder and very experienced in breeding Chihuahuas.